Cleaning device



W. H. HANSON CLEANING DEVICE May 21, 1968 Filed March 24, 1966 IN VENTOR W/AZ/AM H. HA w/v ATTORNEYS- United States Patent 3,333,727 CLEANlNG DEVlCE William H. Hanson, R0. Box 82, Galata, Mont. %44 Filed Mar. 24-, 1966, Ser. No. 537,164- 1 Claim. (Cl. 15l04.04)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISLDSURE A tool for cleaning corrosion accumulations from the frusto-conical sides of battery terminals and the complementing surfaces of battery connectors, the tool including a cylindrical holder having an end in which is embedded one of the ends of a plurality of circumferentially spaced prongs, the other ends of the prongs projecting laterally from the aforementioned end of the holder and being engageable with the sides of the battery terminals and connectors so as to effect devellication of the corrosion therefrom upon rotation of the holder and consequently of the prongs connected therewith.

This invention relates to a cleaning device, and more particularly to a device constructed and arranged for cleaning posts and apertures with the device being particularly adapted to remove corrosion products from battery posts and cable ends.

As conducive to an understanding of the instant invention, it should be pointed out that all batteries for vehicles are presently of lead-lead sulfate variety comprised of a plurality of cells encapsulated by a rubber or plastic housing with a pair of terminals or posts extending upwardly from the battery. Because of the chemical nature of the battery, a deposite accumulates 0n the battery terminals and on the cable connectors attached thereto, the corrosion deposit consisting primarily of lead sulfate. Periodically cleaning the battery posts and cable connectors substantially prolongs the useful life of the battery and in creases the efficiency of the electrical connection between the posts and cable connectors. The cleaning operation is usually performed by an individual vigorously scrubbing the battery post and the cable connectors. Proper use of a wire brush generally does an acceptable job in cleaning the battery post, but such an instrument is not so efficacious in cleaning the cable connector because the aperture through which the post extends is generally too small to receive a conventional brush. Accordingly, a conscientious repairman will procure a wire bottle brush for cleaning the aperture of the cable connector.

The major difficulty with using wire brushes to remove corrosion products from battery terminals and cable connectors is that the cleaning process is basically transferring the corrosion products from the terminals to the brush. Since a brush includes a multiplicity of fine cleaning wires, it is almost impossible to clean the brush sufficiently to avoid destruction thereof in a relatively short time. Another disadvantage in using a bottle brush to clean the generally frustoconical cable connector apertures is that a relatively large brush must be used to clean the large portion thereof resulting in rapid wear of the bottle brush caused by pushing the long wire bristles through relatively small opening.

It is an object of the instant invention to provide a device for cleaning foreign material from posts and apertures with the device being readily cleanable.

Another object of the instant invention is to provide a device for cleaning corrosive products from batteries which may be attached to a convenient rotating means, such as a power drill, or manipulated by hand to perform the desired functions.

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Still another object of the instant invention is to provide a device of the character described in which the cleaning elements comprise a plurality of relatively straight cylindrical members arranged in a generally annular pattern to abrade the corrosive materials from the object to be cleaned.

A further object of the instant invention is to provide a cleaning device of the character described in which the cleaning elements are arranged to conform to a frustoconical surface for receiving and being received in the complementarily shaped elements of a battery terminal connection.

A still further object of the instant invention is to provile a be. cry cleaning device which is inexpensive to manufacture, which may be readily cleaned thus producing a long useful life, and which is so constructed and arranged to clean etficiently a battery terminal connection.

Other objects and advantages of the instant invention reside in the combination of elements, arrangements of parts, and features of construction and utilization, all as will be more fully pointed out hereinafter and disclosed in the accompanying drawing wherein there is shown a preferred embodiment of this inventive concept.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the battery terminal cleaning device of the instant invention received in a rotating means and positioned immediately above a cable connector preparatory to the cleaning operation;

FIGURE 2 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the cleaning device of FIGURE 1 taken substantially along line 22 thereof as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged longitudinal crosssectional view of the cleaning device of FIGURE 1 taken substantially along line 3--3 thereof as viewed in the direction of the arrows, and illustrating in substantially full size the battery post cleaning device of the instant invention;

FIGURE 4 is a side elev'ational view of the battery terminal cleaning device of the instant invention illustrating the attachment to a rotating means in which the battery terminal cleaning device is about to be inserted over the terminal posts of a battery;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged transverse horizontal crosssectional view of the cleaning device of FIGURE 4 taken substantially along line 5-5 thereof as viewed in the direction of the arrows; and

FiGURE 6 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view of the cleaning device of FIGURE 4 taken substantially along line 66 thereof as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows, illustrating the battery post clean in-g device of the instant invention in substantially full size. 7

Referring now to the drawing in detail, wherein like reference characters designate like elements throughout the several views thereof, and particularly to FIGURE 1, there is indicated generally at 10 the cable connector cleaning device of the instant invention received in a rotating means shown generally at 12, illustrated as a portion of a hand drill. Prongs 32 of cleaning device it) are positioned interiorly of inverted frusto-conical aperture 22. of a cable connector shown generally at 20 preparatory to the cleaning operation. The individual then actuhand drill 12 to rotate cleaning device 10 and prongs 32 to remove the corrosion products accumulated therein. When the cleaning operation is complete, the individual removes cleaning device It therefrom, deactivates hand drill 12 and removes cleaning device if! from chuck 30 of drill 12.

Referring now to FEGURE 4, there is indicated generally at 18 a battery post cleaning device secured in hand drill 12 positioned immediately above a frustoconical battery post 14 of a battery shown generally at 16. The individual first inserts prongs 48 of cleaning device 18 over battery post 14 and then starts the rotation of hand drill 12 to remove the corrosion products accumulated thereon. After the cleaning of battery post 14 and cable connector 20, cleaning devices It), 18 may be cleansed by wiping with a rag and rinsed by holding them under a faucet.

Referring now to FIGURES l to 3 inclusive, cable connector cleaning device It) is comprised of a holder 2 illustrated as an elongated cylindrical plug having external knurls thereon and a shank 26 disposed and fixedly secured in a blind opening 28 in the upper end of holder 24. Shank 26 extends upwardly past the upper terminus of holder 24 and constitutes means for attaching cleaning device 10 in a chuck shown generally at 30 of hand drill 12. It should be understood, however, that cleaning device It may be rotated by any suitable mechanism or by hand. In the latter event a suitable angled arm may be provided on the upper end of holder 24.

A plurality of prong-shaped cleaning elements 32 are affixed to the bottom end of holder 24 in a generally annular pattern as may be seen best in FIGURE 2. Each of cleaning elements 32 is positioned in a blind opening 34 in the opposed planar lower end of holder 24 and is bent slightly outwardly to form a generally frustoconical surface. Although cleaning elements 32 are preferably shrunk fit within holder 24, they may be secured therein in any suitable fashion, as by the use of an epoxy resin glue, or by crimping the outer end of holder 24 at a location between the outlet of a blind recess 36 and the external circumference of holder 24. Blind recess 36 is formed by a lathe point such that holder 24 may be turned thereon. In the event that holder 24 is made in this manner, it is felt preferable to form shank 26 with the lathe rather than as a shrink-fit element as shown in FIGURE 3.

An important feature of the instant invention resides in the shape and arrangement of cleaning elements 32. Prongs 32 are preferably cylindrical with the lower ends 38 thereof residing in a substantially common plane, although it should be understood that minor irregularities in the length of prongs 32 will occur because of manufacturing tolerances. Prongs 32 are preferably of a very stiff rigid material substantially unbendable by finger pressure such that contact with a relatively tenacious corrosion projection will not result in a bending of prong 32 therearound. More specifically, prongs 32 are preferably made from a No. 12 oil tempered spring steel wire having a diameter of .109 inch and are severed into convenient lengths to form lower ends 38. It should be apparent that lower ends 38 are relatively sharp to further facilitate the removal of corrosion deposits from aperture 22. Another important feature of cleaning elements 32 is the substantial straightness thereof, the slight bend illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 3 being necessary only to separate lower ends 38 to form the frustoconical configuration as will be explained more fully hereinafter. It should be understood that the showings of FIGURES 1 and 3 illustrate an exaggerated curvature of prongs 32 which may be bent outwardly either in the manner shown, by bending prong 32 at the junction with holder 24 immediately at the lower planar end of the holder 24, or by bending prong 32 at a sharper angle intermediate the ends thereof rather than in the smooth curvature depicted, although the former construction is preferred.

When prongs 32 are rotated and inserted into inverted frusto-conical aperture 22, prongs 32 will be cammed inwardly by the interior surface of aperture 22 to maintain intimate contact between prongs 32 and cable connector 20 at all times. Because prongs 32 are qiute rigid, corrosion products accumulating on aperture 22 will be rapidly and expeditiously removed.

Referring now to FIGURES 4 to 6, inclusive, battery post cleaning device 18 preferably includes an exteriorly knurled annular plug 42 forming an aperture 44 in which is fixedly positioned. a shank 46 for receipt by chuck 30 of hand drill 12, A plurality of cleaning elements 48 are affixed in passageways 50 formed in holder 42 in a generally annular pattern as may be seen in FIGURE 5. Cleaning elements 48 are bent inwardly to reside on an inverted frusto-conical surface and will be cammed outwardly by contact with frusto-conical post 14. Cleaning elements 48 are identical to prongs 32 and are preferably shrunk-fit in passageways 50 in a conventional manner. Lower ends 52 of prongs 43 preferably lie in a substantialiy common plane although some manufacturing tolerances are again allowed. In severing prongs 48 in suitable lengths, lower ends 52 are usually cut by a wire cutter or the like to form a sharp substantially cylindrical face which is useful in removing accumulated material from ledge 4t surrounding battery post 14. In using battery post cleaning device I8, prongs 48 will initially receive frusto-conical post 14 and are cammed outwardly by engagement therewith to maintain intimate contact throughout the cleaning operation.

Because of the conventional size of battery post 14 and aperture 22, it has been found that only a finite number of prongs 32, 48 may be used. After more than about twenty prongs are used, the spacing therebetween becomes so small that the easily clcanable feature is substantially diminished. In addition, prongs 32, 48 which are illustrated as .109 inch in diameter, must be reduced in size with the use of larger numbers thereof thereby reducing the rigidity of the cleaning element and changing its corrosive removing characteristic.

An important feature of the instant invention resides in the frusto-conical configurations of cleaning elements 32, 48 which are carnmed away from the surface being abraded during the cleaning operation. It should be pointed out, however, that a strictly cylindrical configuration of prongs 32, 4-8 is operable if the individual reciprocates the rotating means during the cleaning operation.

It is now seen that there is herein provided an improved device for cleaning batteries which accomplishes all of the objects of the instant invention and others, including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

Since many embodiments may be made of the instant inventive concept, and since many modifications may be made of the embodiments hereinbefore shown and described, it is to be understood that the foregoing is to be interpreted merely as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

I. A device for cleaning corrosion products from electric battery terminals and connectors therefor comprising:

a substantially solid cylindrical holder having a pair of opposed ends of which one of said ends terminates in a planar surface;

means on the other of said ends of said holder for attachment to a means for effecting its rotation;

a plurality of elongated substantially rigid wire prongs each having one of their respective ends embedded and fixedly connected in said one end of said holder in circumferentially spaced relationship relative to said holder and with the other end of each of said prongs extending laterally from said planar surface in spaced relation relative to one another, said other end of said prongs terminating in a common plane substantially parallel to said planar surface and being disposed on generatrix lines which trace a frustoconical plane extending and confined between said planar surface and said common plane upon rotation of said holder and consequently of said prongs, the base of the frusto-conical plane generated by the rotation of said prongs being disposed in said planar surface with the apex thereof residing in said common plane for cleaning the exterior surfaces of 753,189 2/ 1904 Buckelew 15104.01 X a frusw-wnical p 1,497,899 6/1924 Fletcher 15-104.01 X 12223 7 2 22 '1; 54 35 UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 9 2 192 X 1,684,481 9/1928 Exley 15198 289,132 11/1883 Petrnecky 15104.18 352,405 11/1886 Gary 15198 X EDWARD L. ROBERTS, Primary Examiner.

1,015,915 1/1912 Strickler 15198 X 

